Shifting mechanism for weaving-machines



No. 613,398. Patented Nov. l, |898. E. F. SHELLABERGER.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.)

8 Sheets-Sheet l..

(No Model.)

Nn. lsea. Patented Nawd l, |898. E. F. SHELLABERGEB.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR WE'AVING MACHINES. (Application mea may 26; 189s.) (No Model.) s sheets-sheet 2.

TH: mams PETERS Co. PHoTauwo., wAsHmsToN, n. c.

No: 613,398. Patented Nov. I, |898.

E. F. SHELLABERGER. f

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Nu Model.)

N0. 6|3,398. 4 y Patented NDV. l, |898.

E. F. SHELLABERGER.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.) {Nn Model.) 8 Sheets--Sheet 4.

TH: Noams crans cm PHoTLITHo.. wAsmNsrow. n. c,

. No. 6I3,398. Patented Nov. I, |898.

E. F. SHELLABERGER.

SHlFTlNG-MECHANISM FOR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898,)

(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 5.

TH:- NoRms PETER: cn, 4o-ro Llmo.. wAsmNGYoN, o. c.

No. 6|3,398. Patented Nov. I, |898.

lE. F. SHELLABERGER.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FDR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.)

8y Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

TH: Ncmms varias co.. Pauraumb.. vwammmara4 D. c.

No. 613,398. n Patented Nov. l, |898. E. F. SHELLABERGEB.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 8 SheetS-Sheet 7.

1H: Nonms Punks co, wNnToLm-xo, wAsHxNcToN. DA'c.

No. 6|3,398. Patented Nov. I, |898. E. F. SHELLABERGEB.

SHIFTING MEGHNISM FOR WEAVING MACHINES.

(Application led May 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 8.

ma Nomus PETERS co. Hom-UWM WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

EDWARD F. SHELLABERGER, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR WEAVING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,398, dated November 1, 1898.

Application ined May 26, 189s. serial No. 681,772. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known thatrl, EDWARD F. SEELLA- BERGER, of De Kalb, in the county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Geared Shifting Mechanism for Weaving-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weaving-machines, and is particularly applicable to wire-weaving machines such as are employed in making wire fencing; but the shifting mechanism of my invention may be employed for other purposes than in the making of fence fabric-as, for example, in covering wires with an insulating material wherein the covering is braided-and this invention is therefore designed to cover said shifting mechanism broadly.

My invention also includes the combination, with this shifting mechanism, of certain weaving mechanisms peculiar to those machines which are employed for producing woven fabric, such as wire fencing, and therefore some of my claims relate to said combinations.

In the accompanying drawings I have shownl tion on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the gears showing mainly in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the part-s shown in Fig. 1

3, some of the parts being shown in full elevation. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the geared shifting mechanism. Fig. 6 is an elevation on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1,'looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a cross-section, on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6, through the coiling mechanism and the driving-shaft. Fig. 8 is a series of diagrammatic views showing the shifting mechanisms in various positions. Fig. 9 is a view of one form of the product.

The complete apparatus which is illustrated in the drawings comprises distinct groups of mechanisms for holding the mesh or web wires and the strand orparallel wires,for shift-y ing t-he web-wire from one strand to the next adjacent strand and carrying the web-wire around the strand-wire after each shift, split twister-heads for coiling the web-wires and strand-wires together, and a pull-out mechanism for withdrawing the completed fabric.

In the drawings let 10 denote a bed-frame having standards 11, connected by the channel-bars l2, forming the supports for the gears of the shifting mechanism. These channel-bars, as shown, are four in number between each pair of standards and support bearing-plates 13, affording bearings 14 for the spools 15.. These spools are arranged parallel to each other, and as many will be provided as there are strand-wires or longitudinal elements or members of the fabric to be woven.

16 represents the wire coiled upon said spools, one end thereof being led forward to the twisting mechanism, hereinafter described.

17 represents the web or mesh wires of the fabric, and these Iwires are led from suitable spools or reels, not shown, but which will be located in or on the rear of the machine. These web-wires are fora fence fabric of the kind shown one less in number than the strand-wires, and, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 9, each mesh or web wire is carried back and forth between two adjacent strand-wires, being coiled therewithor therearound at the points of intersection. As shown, two and a half coils are formed; but the number of coils or turns and the number of mesh and strand wires and the width of the fabric may be varied at will.

The chief feature of my invention is to provide a reliable mechanism for shifting the web or mesh elements from one of the strand elements to another. In the particular'fabric which I have illustrated the mesh-wire is shifted back and forth between adjacent strand-wires butin some cases it may be desirable to shift the web or mesh wires en.- tirely across the width of a iiat fabric or entirely around a tubular fabric. My geared shifting mechanism includes a series of carriers, preferably spur-gears with their teeth enmeshed, so that the adjacent carriers rotate in unison, but in opposite directions.

clases Acting in conjunction with said carriers, which engage at their peripheries the wires or other strands to be shifted and retain them during one or more complete revolutions, are a series of revolving cams and a series of gear-wheels for operating said cams and preferably rigidly secured therewith, said carriers and cams,with their gearing, constituting the essential features of the shifting mechanism. The carriers are marked 18 and are preferablyin the form of spur-gears with peripheral notches 18, provided, by omitting or mutilating a tooth or teeth. These carriers are arranged in two parallel rows, one row between each pair of standards, and are mounted upon journals 19, which may be rigid with the journals of the spools 15, the journals 19 being mounted within the bearings 14. There will be as many of these carriers 1S as there are strand-wires, and each carrier has loosely mounted upon its axis a gear 20, having a fewer number of teeth than the carriers. In the particular construction shown the carriers have twenty-eight teeth and the gears twenty-four teeth.

21 represents cams in the form of flat disks secured rigidly with the gears 20 and located between them and the carriers. The cams through about half of their circumference correspond substantially with the pitch-line of the teeth of the carriers 1S, projecting beyond the teeth of the gears 20, the remaining portion of the cam being below the extremities of said gear-teeth, or the cam may be semicircular in outline. The web-wires are for convenience and to prevent their becoming tangled threaded through the pipes 22, these pipes being long enough to extend from one set of carriers to the other and parallel to the spools carrying the strand-wires. These pipes are received in the notches or recesses of the carriers and during the rotation of the latter will obviousl y be carried around the axis of the spools. In order to shift the pipes from one carrier to the next, the cams are employed, and to secure this shifting at the proper time the gears 20 are driven so as to perform a definite number of revolutions with relation to the revolution of the carriers. Thus, assuming that the pipes can only be shifted from one carrier to the other, when the pipe held in one carrier shall come opposite the notch or recess of an adjacent carrier the cam and gear must be so driven as that the folmer shall engage the pipe at the proper time and shift it from one carrier to the adjacent one. The number of revolutions of the gear 20 relative to that of the carrier will depend upon the number of complete turns which it is desired the wire carried by the pipe shall perform about the wire carried by the spool turning with the journal of the carrier. As the machine illustrated in the drawings is organized it is desired to turn the web-wires three times around the strandwires, and therefore the cam-gear is so driven that it will perform three and one-half revolut-ions to three revolutions of the carrier, and consequently each pipe, after being carried around the spool three times, will be shifted, when in line with the axis of the gears, to the next adjacent carrier, and after performing three revolutions therewith will be shifted back to the first carrier, and so on alternately back and forth between adjacent carriers.

By reference to Fig. 8 the initial and intermediate and final positions are shown in diagrammatic views, the gears 2O being omitted in these figures to secure clearness of illustration. The first position shows the mechanism just as the pipes are about to he shifted from one carrier to the other. In this, which is called the initial position, the cam is in contact with the pipes, the pipes being nearly in line with the axis of the carriers. As the cams turn in the direction indicated by the arrows their points pass through the plane of the axis of the carriers, and during such passage the pipes are shifted from one carrier to the next. The cam in effecting the shifting of the pipe is moving at a greater rate of speed than the carrier, and therefore by the time the cam has shifted the pipe it has also covered the recess of the carrier from which the pipe is shifted. The next position shown in said figure is that in which a complete revolution of the carrier has been performed, the cam having made more than one complete revolution and still covering the recess of the carrier, and the recess will likewise be closed at the end of the second revolution; but the cam will be advanced. The third position shown is that wherein the carrier has nearly completed three revolutions, and in that po6 sition the cam has nearly completed three and one-half revolutions, the recesses being nearly in line with the axis and uncovered. The fourth position shows the pipes returned into the initial carriers by means of the cams on the adjoining carriers. As such adjacent carriers turn in opposite directions, it is obvious that the direction of movement of the pipe will change with each shift. If, however, it were desired to turn the web-wires only twice around the strand-wires, the camgear would perform two and one-half revolutions while the carrier was performing two revolutions, and if it were desired to shift the web-wires from one carrier to the next throughout the series-as, for example, when said carriers were arranged in circular series and it were desired to shift the web-wires from one to the other completely around the circle-then the cam-gears would perform an equal number of revolutions with such carriers.

As a convenient means of driving the carriers and cams I may employ any suitable gear-train. As shown, the poweris taken from the main driving-shaft 23, which through the bevel-gears 24 25 drives a series of short cross- IOO IIO

shafts 26, having their bearings on the bed- Y the teeth of the carriers 18, the latter enmeshing with and driving the gears 29. The gears 29 are loose upon their journals 30 and drive, through the slot-and-pin connection 31 32, the gears 33, whose journals 34 are eccentric to the journals 30. The gears 29 33 have the same pitch diameter; but by reason of their eccentric arrangement the gears 33 are enabled to mesh with the camgears 20, so as to drive the latter. Two of the teeth of the gear 33 are omitted, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit them to pass the pipes 22, and as the movements of the gears 33 are irregular these mutilations are not diametrically opposite each other. Obviously as the gear 29 turns it will drive the gear faster at one period of its revolution than at another, and this will impart the like irregular rotative movement to the gear 20, thus accelerating the speed of the gear 2O at that point in its revolution where its cam engages the pipe and thereby effecting a quick shifting of the pipe from one carrier to the other. The particular means by which this variation of speed is obtained in the present instance is the slotand-pin connection, the gears 29 and 53 being mounted upon different centers and connected by means of the pin and slot. It is obvious that the pin 32 will travel in the slot 31 as the gears rotate and that as the pin moves toward the inner end of the slot the speed of the gear 33 will be accelerated, and this acceleration is imparted to the gear 2O at the proper time to cause said last-mentioned gear to engage and shift the pipe from one carrier tothe other while traveling at its highest rate of speed. This quick shifting of the pipe is desirablein order to insure its entering the notch of the adjacent gear and pre- Venting-its being caught or jammed between the gear-teeth.

It will be understood that the shifting mechanism in the illustration shown. is duplicated at each end of the spools carrying the strandwires for the reason that it is desired to employ a long spool, so as to hold a considerable quantity of wire. If, however, the spools were short, then a single series of carriers would be sufficient.

The foregoing describes the operation of the shifting mechanism, and it will be understood that said vshifting mechanism may be employed for a variety of purposes and with coiling mechanism of various kinds. I have shown a coiling mechanism which is peculiar in some respects and principally in its combination and cooperation with the shifting mechanism. Said coiling mechanism is arranged at the front of the machine and comprises, essentially, a series of split twisterheads, by which is meant that the twisters or coiling mechanisms are constructed in two sections, being divided in planes parallel to their axis of revolution, andthe upper sections or members of these split twister-heads being adapted to be shifted laterally and to form successive matching relation with the lower sections. rIhe shifting sections of the twister-heads carry the mesh-wires, while the non-shifting sections carry the strand-wires, and after each shift the sections are brought into matching relation and rotate, therebyT coiling the mesh-wires and strand-wires together. The twister-heads of course perform the same number of revolutions as the meshwires perform about the strand-wires, and hence the twister-heads are geared with a definite relation to the operation of the shifting mechanism itself. Thus l have described the shifting mechanism as organized to carry the mesh-wiresthree times about the strandwires, and the twister-heads will therefore perform three revolutions between each shift. As the shifting mechanism operates without loss of time and as it requires a certain interval of time to shift the movable sections of thetwister-heads, I arrange the gearing so that the twister-heads shall complete three revolutions in one-half the time required to complete three revolutions of the carriers, and therefore the twister-heads must rotate at twice the speed of the carriers. It is in this arrangement and combination of gearing that the novelty of this part of the invention consists.

Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 6, 35 represents rthe uprights or end pieces of a framework for supporting t-he twister-heads or coiling mechanism, these end pieces beingconnected by top plate 36. A transverse girder or bed 37 supports bearings 3S for the lower sect-ions 39 of the split twister-heads. These split twister-heads have extended journals and are each provided with a longitudinal aperture 40, through which the strand-wire 16 passes. The upper sections 41 of the twisterheads have the longitudinal apertures42 for the passage of the mesh-wires, and the sections 41, with their half-boxes, are spanned by. the shifting-bar43, havingV a connection through the pitman 44 with the eccentric 45, mounted upon a shaft 46 and driven through the bevel-gears 47 48,the latter being mounted upon.the shaft 49, driven through shaft 50 from thev main driving-shaft 23. The gear 48 is mutilated or provided with gear-teeth on a portion only of its circumference,so that while its driving-shaft runs continuously thepitman is only operated while the teeth of said `gear .are in meshwith the teeth 0f the gear 47. By this arrangement the shifting of the twister-heads occupies one half of the ytime and the rotating of thetwister-headsan equal space of time. The rotation of the twisterheads is effected through a suitable train of gearing. (Shown in Fig. 6.) 51 represents a split gear formed as a part of the split twisterheads and adapted to rotate the twister-heads when said gear-sections and the twister-head sections are in matching relation. The gears .51 are driven from the gears 52 and the latter fromthe large gears 53, the latter having a set of bevel-gear teeth 54,driven by the bevel- IOO IIO

gear 55 on the shaft 56, this shaft being driven from the shaft 57, receiving power from the main driven shaft 23. Each of the gears 53 drives two adjacent twister-heads, an idler 58 being interposed between the gear 53 and the gear 52 for driving one twister-head, so as to reverse the direction of rotation. The bevel-gears 55,which drive the large gears 53, are adj ustably mounted on boxes keyed fast on shaft 56.

It has been seen that the carriers 18 rotate constantly and the twister-heads rotate intermittently. To provide for this intermittent rotation, the shaft 57 is driven through a bevel-gear 59 and a mutilated gear 60, so that said shaft and the train of gears imparting motion to the twister-heads has periods of rest equalin g its periods of rotation and alternating therewith. During the periods of rest the shifting of the upper sections of the split twister-heads occurs and the gearing is so proportioned that the twister-heads rotate at twice the speed of the carriers, thus forming the same number of coils as the carrier performs revolutions between the shift-ing operations. As the carriers run constantly, the web-wire will of course be carried around the strand-wires and will become slack thereon. To prevent the tangling of the two wires between the shifting mechanism and the coiling mechanism, the strand-wires are carried through tubular guides 6l.

The completed fabric is shown at 62. It is withdrawn from the machine by means of a suitable pull-out, which in the present instance consists of a shaft 62, having toothed or notched disks 62h, which engage the mesh of the fabric. From this pull-out the fabric passes down under the drum G3, thence over the drum 64, and thence back under shaft 65 to the spool or reel 67. The latter is driven from a pulley 63a on the shaft 63h, carrying drum 63, by a belt 63, having a tension .device GS applied thereto. This mechanism is all driven from the shaft 69 through gears 69 69h, the latter being mounted on shaft 63", the drums 63 and 64 being directly geared together. The pull-out may, however, be directly and positively driven; but, as above described, it serves to engage the mesh of the fabric and insures its being drawn out evenly and without distortion.

My invention has numerous advantages, among which the following maybe mentioned, while others are obvious:

First. It is necessary in this class of machinery, which runs at a high rate of speed, to have the shifting and coiling mechanism operate with great accuracy. To attain this, I preferably gear all of the carriers throughout the series so that they will perform their revolutions in exactly equal times.

Second. I prefer to drive the cams which effect the shifting at a variable rate of speed, as thereby the shifting may be performed quickly and certainly, and I am also enabled by employing a differential gearing to cover the recesses in the carriers, and thereby prevent the shifting except at the proper times.

Third. The wire holders or spools of these Weaving-machines usually carry a considerable load of wire, and this load varies as the weaving progresses, and as the spools are usually carried around the strand-wires this load imposes considerable strain upon the machinery and consumes power, besides necessitating heavy construction. In my construction the spools are not carried around the strand-wires, but instead thereof carry the strand-wires, and the web or mesh wires are passed around them by the pipes. By employing two rows of carriers and cams placed parallel to each other, but at a considerable distance apart, I am enabled to interpose long spools carrying a large quantity of Wire and yet to pass the Web or mesh wires around the strand-wires.

Fourth. It is desirable that the wire-holders and shifting mechanism shall run constantly, as otherwise injurious shocks would be occasioned by stopping and starting the holders, loaded as they are with a heavy mass of Wire.

Fifth. It is likewise essential that the coiling mechanisms shall have periods of rest to enable the shifting thereof, so that the webwires may be alternately coiled with adjacent strand-wires. To accomplish this last-named object, the coiling mechanism is run out twice the speed of the carrying and shifting mechanism, but is in motion only one-half of the time.

I wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited in its broadest scope to the particular mechanisms herein shown and described nor to the particular uses herein specifically mentioned, and that changes may be madeiin the structural features thereof, and particularly in the gearing for driving the essential operating parts, without departing from the scope thereof.

I claiml. In a shifting mechanism the combination with the revolving carriers adapted to engage a wire, rod, strand or equivalent fabric element, or its holder, and carry the same in a circular path around the axes of such carriers, of revolving cams for shifting or transferring such wire, dac., or its holder from one carrier to another, and suitable gearing for driving said carriers and cams in due order and relation, substantially as described.

2. In ashifting mechanism,the combination with a series of revolving carriers, having peripheral notches or openings adapted to receive or engage a wire, rod, strand or equivalent fabric element or its holder, and to carry the same in a circular path about the axes of the carriers, of a series of cams, one for each carrier and mounted to revolve about the carrier-axes, said cams having peripheral portions adapted to prevent the passage of the element to be transferred or shifted from one carrier to another during a portion of their IOO IIO

revolution and to cause such shifting or transfer during another portion of their revolution, substantially as described. y

3. Inashiftingmechanism,thecombination With a series of revolving carriers having peripheral notches or recesses adapted to receive or engage a Wire, rod, strand or equivalent fabric element and to carry the same in a circular path around the axes of such carriers, 0f a revolving cam mounted t-o revolve upon an aXis coincident with that of the carrier and having peripheral portions adapted to cover said notches and other portions eX- tending radially beyond the bottoms of such notches, and gearing for driving said carriers and said cams differentially, whereby the parts to be shifted may rest in said notches and be ejected therefrom, substantially as described.

4. Inashifting mechanism,the combination With a series of rotary carriers having peripheral geared teeth, with notches or openings between some of said geared teeth adapted to receive a strand of a fabric element, or its holder, said carriers being so disposed that their notches Will register at one or more points during their revolution, of a series of cams having rotation upon axes coincident with the axes of the carriers, said cams having peripheral portions projecting beyond the bottoms of said notches, gears for rotating said cams, and means for driving said camgears and said carriers at different rates of speed, whereby the fabric element may be shifted from one carrier to the next adjacent carrier after performing one or more complete revolutions and a partial revolution about the axes of the latter, substantially as described.

5. In a shifting mechanism,the combination With a series of revolving carriers, having their axes parallel and the said carriers being provided with peripheral notches or recesses to receive a Wire, rod or equivalent fabric element, said carriers being geared to rotate in equal times, of a series of cams rotatably mounted upon axes coincident with those of the carriers, and a series of gears also mounted to rotate at equal times and adapted to drive said cams, the latter having peripheral portions adapted toengage and shift said fabric elements from one carrier to the next, substantially as described.

6. In a fabric-Weaving machine, the combination with holders for the Warp or strand elements of the fabric, of carriers mounted to revolve upon axes coincident With said holders, of a series of holders for the Web or mesh elements of the fabric, said carriers being adapted to engage at their peripheries said Web-element holders, and a series of cams adapted to revolve about the axes of the carriers and to engage said Web-holders at predetermined points of their revolution, whereby to shift or transfer said holders from one carrier to the next adjacent carrier throughout theseries, substantially as described.

7. In a shifting mechanism for Wire-Weaving fabric machines, the combination With'a series of revolving carriers, of a series of strand-Wire carriers orholders, and a series of web or mesh Wire holders, the former being nation With a series of strand-Wire holders rotatably mounted in parallelism, of a series of Web-Wire holders also mounted in parallelism to each other and to the strand-Wire holders but eccentric thereto, of a series of carriers for each end of the Web-wire holders, said carriers being mounted to rotate upon axes in line With the axes of the strand-wire holders and adapted to engage at their peripheries the web-Wire holders, and means for simultaneously shifting the series of Web-Wire holders from one carrier to another throughout theseries at predetermined times, substantially as described.

9. Ina shifting mechanism for Wire-Weaving machines, the combination with a series of revolving carriers geared to rotate in equal times, of a series of cams, one for each carrier, and a series of gears one for each cam, mounted concentric to the axes of the carriers but rotatably independent thereof, of a series of gears driven in unison with the carriers, and a series of gears driven therefrom in equal times, but With a varying rate of speed, said last-mentioned series of'gears being adapted to drive the cam-gears and thereby the cams, substantially as described.

10. In a Wire-Weaving machine, the combination with a series of strand-Wire holders, of a series of Web-Wire holders, a series of carriers for carrying the Web Wire holders around the strand-Wire holders, means for shifting the Web-wire holders from one carrier to the next, and a coiling mechanism comprising a series of split twister-heads or coilers, one memberof each coiler being adapted to be shifted to and have successive matching relation with an adjacent coiler, gearing for driving the carriers constantly and gearing for driving the coilers intermittently, but at a higher rate of speed, Whereby time is allowed for the shifting of the coiling mechanism, substantially as described.

ll. In a Wire-Weaving machine, the combination -with constantly-running means for carrying the web-Wires around the strandwires, and means for shifting the Web-Wire carriers from one strand-Wire to another,y of an intermittently-driven ceiling mechanism, substantially as described.

EDWARD F. SHELLABERGER.

Witnesses:

E. L. HUBER, FREDERIK C. GOODWIN.

IOO

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